Child Of Fire
by wizardgirl625
Summary: Katniss has finally agreed to have children. The story of the emotional and taxing, but rewarding, journey of Katniss and Peeta as they struggle with raising a child.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All rights go to Suzanne Collins**

 **Another Disclaimer: This story isn't going to have much action (I don't think.) It's more of just the story of Katniss and Peeta having children. I know there's already a bunch of stories like this but I really wanted to write it. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 1**

She couldn't wait to tell Peeta. Katniss hadn't decided how she felt about the news, but she knew Peeta would be ecstatic.

They'd been trying for weeks, after Katniss had finally agreed. Peeta hadn't lost hope, but he was definitely discouraged.

Katniss wasn't sure how to tell him, so she decided to just go simple. She waited until Peeta was back from delivering one of his cakes in town. When she heard the door open she went to greet Peeta in the hall.

"Hi Katniss," he said, smiling at her.

"Hey Peeta," she replied. Then she looked down at her stomach. "Look, Daddy's home!" Katniss glanced up at Peeta with a smile.

Peeta froze. A slow grin spread across his face.

"You're pregnant?" He asked bluntly. Katniss smiled and nodded. Peeta was beaming now, and Katniss couldn't help but beam with him.

"We're going to have a kid!" he said, practically jumping up and down, holding Katniss in his arms. She laughed.

"Yeah, we are," she said.

His face was priceless, he was almost giddy with joy. He even had tears in his eyes. It was these kind of moments that made her love him even more. And these kind of moments that made her tell him.

"I love you," Katniss said. Peeta looked a bit surprised, of course he knew that, but she rarely showed her affection in words. He took it in stride, though.

"I love you too," he said, kissing the top of her head. "So, so much."

* * *

 **Sorry it was a really short chapter, it was just to get the ball rolling, really. Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, rights to Suzanne Collins.**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 2**

It was a couple of weeks after Katniss had found out she was pregnant. She was now 8 weeks in, and Peeta was not happy. She didn't have a baby bump, and she wasn't having any weird cravings. Honestly, she was barely different at all, except for eating bigger helpings. Once, Katniss caught him staring at her stomach, as if willing the bump to appear.

"Peeta," she said with a laugh. "You know the doctor said there won't be any kind of bump for at least 10 weeks!"

"Yeah, I know, but I really want to see silent, nimble Katniss turn into big, waddling, clumsy Katniss." he said, smiling at the thought. Katniss scowled at him, but Peeta didn't notice, lost in his thought of Katniss with a baby sized stomach.

About 9 weeks into her pregnancy, morning sickness showed up. Katniss soon found out that the name was entirely misleading. Morning sickness was, in fact, _not_ just in the morning, and it was quite inconvenient. Most of the time she was home, and Peeta was there to help. It was when she was walking in town, or taking advantage of still being able to fit under the fence and into the woods, that made having to stop everything and throw up particularly annoying. Week 9 also meant her hormones were acting up. Their doctor, Rachel, had said they would calm down in the second trimester, but right now they were making Katniss feel ridiculous. She had practically burst into tears over her cereal being soggy. Peeta had been struggling to hold in his laughter when he found out, earning yet another scowl from Katniss.

* * *

A couple days later it was time for a doctor's visit. It was the first one Peeta would be attending, and he was beyond eager to go. Their doctor, Rachel, greeted them with a smile as they sat down.

"How is everything going?" she asked.

"It's okay," Katniss responded. "But I'm already fed up with this morning sickness thing." Rachel laughed.

"Yes, most mothers are," she said. _Mothers,_ Katniss thought. It still hadn't sunken in yet that she was going to _have a child._

"Let's go run some tests, make sure that you and the baby are healthy," Rachel was saying. Though District 12 still wasn't the most wealthy of the districts, it now had a normal hospital and medicine, just like all the others. After the war, the new government, united with the people, had made sure all districts had enough supplies for everyone.

Rachel was currently rubbing Katniss's stomach with a cool liquid for an ultrasound. When she was done she turned Katniss's and Peeta's attention to a small screen.

"Right now, you are about 10 weeks pregnant, and your baby is a bit larger than an olive," Rachel said. "That," she continued, pointing to a small blob toward the bottom of the screen, "is your child."

Katniss smiled, and looked at Peeta. He was staring at the picture in awe, grinning from ear to ear.

"You and the baby are healthy and growing at a steady rate. I would expect your stomach to start expanding in 1 or 2 weeks, maybe even less," Rachel said to Katniss. "You can also expect some pains in your abdomen, because the baby will start to put pressure on your organs, veins, muscles and ligaments. Don't worry, it's totally normal."

"Thank you," Katniss said. Peeta nodded in agreement.

"My pleasure," Rachel said with a smile. "You guys are free to go. I'll see you next month!"

"See you then."

* * *

They walked home in silence, Peeta still beaming. Katniss, not so much. Seeing that little blob of a child really freaked her out.

"How are we going to raise a child?" She asked worriedly. Peeta's smile faded.

"I have no idea." He said.

"Well that's comforting," Katniss said, but she was smiling. Peeta took her hand.

"We'll be fine," he said. "We'll do it together. You and me."

Katniss reached up to give him a light kiss, and they walked, hand in hand, back home. All three of them.

* * *

 **Hey guys! Sorry the chapter was kind of short again, I promise they'll be longer soon! Also, thank you so much for the follows and reviews and stuff, I really appreciate them. I'll try to update soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All rights go to Suzanne Collins**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 3**

On the day marking Katniss 11 weeks pregnant, Katniss noticed her pants felt quite snug. When she looked in the mirror at her bare stomach, turned to the side, she could see a small protrusion from her hipline to her belly button. She grinned. Her baby bump had arrived.

"Peeta?" She called.

"Yeah?"

"Could you come up here?"

"Sure." Katniss heard the sound of his footsteps on the stairs, and turned herself so that he would see her in profile when he entered their bedroom.

"What's going on?" Peeta asked. Then his eyes dropped to her exposed stomach. His mouth shaped into a perfect O. And then a smile so wide it took up his entire face. He ran over to Katniss, kneeled down, and kissed every inch of Katniss's tiny little baby bump.

"Stop it!" Katniss said, giggling. "That tickles!" Peeta grinned and moved to Katniss's mouth.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Katniss said between kisses.

* * *

"Peeta?" Katniss whispered. _"Peeta!"_ She said again, shaking him awake.

"What?" He groaned.

"I want pancakes."

"What?" He said again. "In the middle of the night?"

"Yes." Peeta laughed.

"Okay. Give me a couple minutes." Soon he reentered the room with a tray of pancakes, cookies, and milk.

"Thank you," Katniss sighed, gobbling up the food.

"No problem," Peeta said with a smirk.

"What?" Katniss said through a mouthful.

"You've never been much of an eater, and now you're gulping down pancakes in the middle of the night. It's just funny." Katniss scowled at him.

"Fine then, I'm not sharing," Katniss said, but she was laughing too. Peeta leaned over to kiss her and snatched a cookie when she wasn't looking.

"Hey!" Katniss said. Peeta shrugged and stuffed the whole thing in his mouth. They both started laughing uncontrollably, then kissing, and eventually snuggled up and fell back asleep.

* * *

"Katniss! Katniss wake up!" Peeta was saying frantically.

"What? What's wrong?"

"You have a nosebleed!"

Katniss almost burst out laughing, but she could hear true distress in his voice, so she managed to contain herself.

"Peeta, it's fine. I've had nosebleeds before."

"Not when you're pregnant!" Peeta exclaimed. "What if a nosebleed when you're pregnant means….." he trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Means what?"

"I don't know, that the baby's dying or something."

"Honey, a nosebleed is not going to kill the baby." Though Peeta probably knew that, he still looked concerned. Katniss sighed.

"If it'll make you feel better, we can call the doctor and ask if it means anything," she said. Peeta nodded. Katniss walked downstairs to the phone and dialed Rachel's number.

"Hello?" The doctor answered.

"Hi Rachel, it's Katniss."

"Hi! Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Just Peeta got a little worried over a nosebleed I had, so I said we'd call and make sure it's okay."

Rachel chuckled. "Yes, everything is fine. Nosebleeds are actually fairly common in pregnancy, because blood vessels in your nose tend to expand. You can assure Peeta that everything is fine."

"Thank you." Katniss said.

"Anytime. I look forward to seeing you two!"

"Us too. See you soon!" Katniss said, hanging up the phone.

"Nosebleeds during pregnancy are _common._ " She said, turning to Peeta.

"Sorry. I just don't want anything or happen to you. Or the baby. I just worry."

Katniss walked over to Peeta and hugged him.

"I know. But we. Are. Perfectly. Fine," Katniss said, emphasizing each word with a kiss. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Okay," Peeta said, still not convinced.

"Come on, let's eat."

As they ate, they talked about their child.

"What are we going to name it?" Peeta asked.

"I don't know," Katniss responded. "But can we think of a nickname for it now? So we can stop calling it _'it'_?"

Peeta thought about it. "How about Junior?"

Katniss giggled. "Sure. Junior." Peeta crossed over to her and knelt down.

"Hi Junior!" He said to her stomach. "What do you want us to call you when you come out of Momma?"

"I think we'll know their name when we see them." Peeta ignored her, still cooing to Junior. And he barely ever stopped.

* * *

Since that day, whenever Peeta had a chance he would talk to Katniss's stomach. Stories, fairy tales, even just what was going on that day. He would tell their little Junior _everything._ If he ran out of stories, he would retell some again. Katniss thought it was adorable. In the next couple of weeks, after a check up with the doctor, Peeta was retelling a story about Katniss when she was younger to Katniss's rapidly growing stomach. He laughed at the point where he said Katniss intimidated everyone, and Katniss felt her stomach flutter. She froze. Peeta noticed and stopped talking.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Keep talking," was her response. So Peeta continued his story with a confused expression on his face. Her stomach fluttered again.

"I think the baby's moving," she said excitedly. "It recognizes your voice!"

"What?!" Peeta said. The baby moved again.

"Junior keeps moving when you talk! Here, feel," Katniss said, placing Peeta's hand on her stomach. "Now say something."

"Umm, hi Junior." The baby wiggled in response.

"There! Did you feel it?" Peeta shook his head.

"Oh. Maybe Junior's not moving enough for you to be able to feel yet." Peeta looked crestfallen.

"Oh, Peeta," she said smiling. "It's okay. Soon our little Junior will be kicking, and you can feel the little kicks all day."

"I want them now!" Peeta whined, only half kidding. Katniss laughed.

"Tell Junior that."

"Junior, I would like you to start kicking your mom." They both burst out laughing at how ridiculous that sounded. Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Peeta said. He went to open it.

"Who is it?" Katniss called. Peeta didn't answer.

"Peeta?"

"Um, you better come here," he responded in a shaky voice.

Katniss made her way to the door, (navigating her way around was becoming much harder with her growing stomach) wondering why Peeta sounded so uncomfortable. When she reached the threshold she gasped.

" _Gale?"_

* * *

 **Hey guys! So I've decided I'm going to update at least once a week (hopefully), and maybe twice if I'm not too busy. Follow/favorite/review if you enjoyed, they are very much appreciated! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All rights to Suzanne Collins**

* * *

 **Child of Fire**

 **Chapter 4**

"Hi." Gale said. Katniss hadn't seen him for at least 10 years, not since the war had ended. She rarely even thought of him these days. He brought back too many painful memories, and eventually Katniss had learned to shove him out of her mind. But now he was back. Along with all the other things she longed to forget. Her sister, the bombs, President Snow, the Games. She still wondered whose bomb it was that took her sister from her. She stood, her mouth gaping open, staring for a solid minute.

"Katniss?" Peeta said softly. His voice brought her back to her senses.

"What are you doing here?" She asked somewhat harshly.

"I, uh, was in town, so, um, I thought I'd say hello." His eyes kept flickering to her stomach.

"Well, hello." She said. She didn't know why she was being so cold, but she something just felt wrong about him being here.

"Can I, uh, come in?" Gale asked. Peeta and Katniss exchanged a look and had a silent conversation.

 _No._

 _Katniss, we can't just make him leave._

 _Yes we can!_

 _He used to be your best friend._

 _No._

"Yeah, come in," Peeta said. Katniss rolled her eyes and glared at him. They sat down in the living room, and no one spoke for a while.

"So you guys are, uh, having a baby." Gale stated. He was nervous.

"Yeah," Peeta said. The three sat in an awkward silence.

"What do you want?" Katniss said, finally breaking the silence.

Gale hesitated. "Can I talk to you alone, Katniss?"

"No." She said.

"Yes." Peeta said, giving Katniss a look. "I'll go…. do some laundry?" Peeta shrugged and left.

Once he was gone, Gale started talking.

"Ever since I left, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I still love you, and I think you know that." Katniss nodded and he continued. "I knew you couldn't love me after what happened to your sister. I mean, you could barely even speak to me. That's part of the reason why I left. I came back because I thought I had given you enough time. I thought you would've healed by now. And I also couldn't stand being away any longer. I moved back into my family's old house and-"

Katniss interrupted him. "If you think I'm going to drop down on my knees and love you just because it's been a couple years, you're wrong. I'm not going to love you, and I don't want to. I'm happy here. I'm going to have a child soon. And you're not going to ruin it." Katniss knew she was being harsh, but she didn't care. Gale wasn't the same person she had hunted with, he wasn't her best friend anymore. But she didn't really mind. She had Peeta now, and soon she'd have a kid, and she was more than happy with that.

"That's not what I'm asking. I know you can't love me. I just miss you. And I can't die knowing I never tried to see or speak to you again."

"So what _are_ you asking, then?" Katniss said tiredly. She wanted him out of her house.

"I want you back in my life. As a friend, as a neighbor, I don't care. I just want to be able to talk to you."

"Yeah. Maybe. I'll see you later." Katniss said, though she had no intentions of doing so. Gale looked a little defeated; that had obviously not been the response he was hoping for, but he took the hint to leave. As soon as the door closed behind him, Peeta came back in.

"What happened?" He asked.

"He wanted me to be 'back in his life.'" Katniss responded. "It was pathetic. He sounded like someone from a cheesy movie or something. Nothing like the Gale I used to know."

"What are you going to do?"

"Ignore him for as long as I can. I've been perfect and happy and loved without him here, and I don't want that pitiful shell of Gale around here to make me remember all the things I've been trying to forget!" Peeta looked a bit stunned.

"What?" Katniss said. "All he does is remind me of everything awful." It was sad, but true. No matter how hard she tried to pull up a good memory of Gale, it was always ruined by a horrible uncertainness. Had he killed her sister? Had he killed countless other innocent people? Did he even _care?_ After the war had officially ended, he barely made an effort to talk to her. Of course Katniss had had a hand in that, but the old Gale would've never let her get away with ignoring him. The war had changed him, and not in a good way. It didn't make him stronger, it made him crazy, plastered by his own uncertainness and what ifs about everything that could've been different. Maybe Katniss needed something to blame, maybe it just happened, but somehow, Gale had come to symbolize all of Katniss's horrific experiences, the same way Peeta had come to symbolize everything good. Except Peeta _was_ everything good. Really, Gale had just drawn the short straw in the game of Katniss's mind. She knew she shouldn't hate him, that none of her misfortune was his fault, but she didn't care. She had been at peace for years, (at least as much as she could be in her life) and Gale was bringing back all of her horrible memories with him.

Peeta looked at her sadly. "He used to be your best friend."

"And I didn't used to love you. Things change."

"Touché." He said, smiling.

* * *

The next day they had another doctors appointment. Katniss was 20 weeks pregnant, about halfway through her second trimester, and her entire pregnancy. Rachel was doing the ultrasound and Peeta was sitting next to Katniss, holding her hand.

"Your baby is in perfect condition, and it's about as big as a mango. You may be able to feel it kicking soon." Peeta smiled; he couldn't wait for that.

"Now I know you guys normally look at the ultrasound, but we can now tell the gender of your baby. If you want to know, I'll show you, but many parents like to be surprised, so it's up to you." They looked at each other.

"What do you think?" Katniss asked Peeta.

"I'm not sure. I kind of want to be surprised. What about you?"

"Surprised," Katniss agreed. Peeta nodded.

"We'll wait," he said to Rachel.

"Alrighty then. You're free to go."

"Thank you," Katniss said. They waved goodbye and headed home.

* * *

"Do you think Junior will be a boy or a girl?" Katniss asked as they were walking home.

"I don't know. I'd be happy with either. Hopefully our next child will be the other gender. Though I guess it'd be fun to have two kids of the same-"

"Wait." Katniss cut him off, smiling. "Our _next_ child? This one's not even born yet, and you're planning what gender our next child will be?" Katniss said, giggling. "Actually, who even said there's going to _be_ a next child? We never discussed that."

"You can't expect Junior to be an only child!" Peeta exclaimed. "He or she needs a sibling to play with! You can't just force Junior to sit around with us boring parents all day," Peeta joked.

"Hey! We're going to be cool parents!" Katniss said, still laughing.

"Cool parents of dozens of adorable little children," Peeta said dreamily.

"Dozens?!" Katniss said. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Peeta pouted, and Katniss giggled at him.

"Besides," she said with a sigh. "We need to be able to raise this one first."

* * *

 **Hi guys! So thank you so much if you reviewed/followed! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What gender do you think their baby is going to be? I have a name in mind, but I'm not sure, so if any of you have any good baby names (for either gender because I'm not telling!) then please leave a review, and maybe I will use it! Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All rights go to Suzanne Collins**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 5**

"You do realize you still haven't told your mother you're pregnant," Peeta was saying.

"I haven't purposely _not_ told her. I just never really felt like it." Peeta rolled his eyes, but Katniss ignored him. She hadn't spoken to her mother much since the war ended; just by the occasional phone call. She still lived in District 4, working at a hospital, and was also working on recovering from her grief, even after all this time, so she didn't stay updated on Katniss's life. As for other people, especially in District 12, they kept themselves updated. Katniss, Peeta, and other victors and leaders of the rebellion stayed very famous after the war ended. Katniss could feel stares when she walked by, but she didn't blame them. She was still the Mockingjay to them, the face of the rebellion and the cause of the new and peaceful life of Panem. They watched her when she was walking around town, and it didn't take people long to notice her pregnancy. They congratulated her, and some made comments of disbelief, surprised that she had ever agreed to the whole "children" thing. Even Haymitch noticed, although it was on one of his increasingly rare drunken days. Of course he still drank, but he didn't stumble around in an alcoholic stupor 24/7 anymore.

"Katniss!" He had called out to her. "You got a piece of bread in your stomach?" Katniss laughed at him.

"Yeah, Haymitch, A bun in my oven." Haymitch nodded approvingly, and then had stumbled back into his house.

"But seriously," Peeta continued, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "Call your mother."

"Fine." Katniss huffed as she crossed over to the phone.

"Hello?" Her mother answered.

"Hi mom. It's Katniss."

"Oh, hi sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm good. I was actually calling to tell you some news."

"And what is that?"

"I'm pregnant." She said awkwardly.

"Really? Katniss, that's wonderful! How far along are you?"

"Um… almost 5 months."

"5 months!" Her mother exclaimed. "You've gone through half of your pregnancy without telling me about it?!"

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that," Katniss said sheepishly.

"Oh, Katniss," she sighed. "I have to run honey, but congratulations. Keep me updated!"

"Alright, mom. Love you."

"Love you too." And then she hung up.

"Was that so hard?" Peeta asked teasingly. Katniss rolled her eyes and joined him on the couch, laying so her head was in his lap. He absentmindedly started tracing circles on Katniss's stomach, and the soothing feeling carried Katniss off to sleep.

 _Thump._

 _Thump._

Katniss sleepily opened her eyes. Peeta had fallen asleep at some point, his head back and his mouth wide open.

 _Thump._

 _What is that?_ Katniss wondered.

 _Thump._

And then she realized. Katniss gasped, startling Peeta awake.

"What happened?" He said groggily. In response, Katniss took his hand and placed it on her stomach. He looked at her questioningly.

 _Thump._ It was Peeta's turn to gasp, and his mouth stayed open in a huge grin.

"JUNIOR'S KICKING!" He yelled excitedly.

"Calm down!" Katniss said, laughing hysterically at him. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

"I will _not_ calm down! Our child is _kicking!_ With their _feet!_ Because they _have_ little feet and little arms and a tiny little adorable face!" He was absolutely ecstatic. Katniss was seriously starting to wonder if Peeta would explode from pure happiness once this baby actually arrived, especially if he got this excited over Junior kicking. Not that Katniss wasn't excited, but just then, her hormones took over and suddenly she was crying. Peeta's smile faded.

"What's wrong?"

"Peeta, we aren't ready for this baby." Feeling the baby move and kick inside of her made it feel so much more real to Katniss, and it worried her.

"What do you mean?"

"We don't have a room or a crib or clothes. We don't have a plan on how we're actually going to _raise a child._ How are we supposed to do this?"

"Well, we have a spare bedroom right down the hall from us, and we can go into town to get supplies tomorrow if you want." Katniss nodded, her tears slowing. "As for how to raise a kid? Together. We will make sure Junior is a wonderful child with a good and happy childhood. I promise." Katniss nodded again. If anyone could raise a kid, it was Peeta.

"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed at having ruined the happy moment. "I can't really control my emotions anymore." Peeta smiled at her.

"I think it's adorable." Katniss rolled her eyes.

"Of course you do."

* * *

The next day Katniss and Peeta were up bright and early to shop for baby supplies. District 12 had progressed a lot, and there was a store just for baby things in town. Peeta was giddy with excitement when they entered, and kept pointing things out to Katniss.

"Look how cute these onesies are!"

"Look at the little baby hats!"

"KATNISS, LOOK AT HOW TINY THESE SHOES ARE!"

"Peeta, please lower your voice," she said, giggling.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly, then proceeded to add an armful of onesies to their cart.

"Um, Peeta," Katniss said, laughing as she held up a 'Daddy's little girl' onesie. "We don't know if it's a girl."

"That's why I added a 'Daddy's little boy' one too. So we're ready either way! I got some with Mommy on them for you." Katniss rolled her eyes. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"Okay then. Next we need a crib." They ended up picking a white do it yourself crib with some pale yellow sheets and blankets.

"Are you sure you know how to build a crib?"

"I can figure it out. Besides, we can't just buy a ready made one! Where's the fun in that?!" Katniss sighed and added it to their cart. As they walked into the toys section, Katniss could see Peeta fighting to not take everything on the shelf.

"Five toys. We can pick out more when we know what Junior actually likes," Katniss said.

"Five? That's it?" Peeta looked crestfallen.

"Okay six." Katniss huffed. "But that's it!"

"Fine," Peeta said, going off to search. He came back with a rattle, a small book made of felt, a block for babies to chew on, a huge brown teddy bear, and a stuffed bunny that sang a song if you pressed its' stomach.

"Only five? Weren't you begging to pick out more?" Katniss joked.

"Yeah. But I thought I'd let you pick one." He responded with a smile.

"How generous of you." Katniss chuckled, and ending up picking a simple stuffed grey elephant. Peeta's picked out shoes with his eyes shining with happiness, and soon they were checking out.

"Jeez," Katniss said as they were leaving. "Babies are expensive!"

"It'll be worth it, though." Peeta said happily. Katniss agreed. Seeing how happy Peeta was today made everything worth it, and they hadn't even had the actual child yet.

"I know." She responded, reaching up to kiss him.

* * *

As Katniss was making a snack for her and Peeta, she heard another groan of frustration from upstairs. She smiled to herself. She had warned him, and now he was paying for it. She took the sandwiches and water upstairs. They had been at it for hours, and hadn't gotten anything done. When she walked into the soon-to-be nursery, she saw Peeta on the floor, surrounded by a mess of white wood that was supposed to be a crib.

"How in the world are you supposed to do this?" He asked, gratefully taking a sandwich.

 _"We can't get a ready made one! Where's the fun in that?"_ Katniss mimicked, smiling. "And I thought we got one leg of the crib in! Where'd it go?" Katniss asked.

"Yeah, I think that was actually supposed to be one of the railings to the crib. Not like these instructions are helping."

"I-"

"Told me? Yeah. I should start listening to you." He stood and wrapped Katniss in a hug. Katniss laughed.

"I am pretty smart." She said with a shrug.

"And beautiful," Peeta added. "And strong, and amazing, and everything I could ask for." He kissed her. "And about to help me finish this crib! Let's do this!" Katniss giggled and they set to work.

A few hours and a couple snacks later, they were done. They did a cheer and had a victory lap around the room. Well, Peeta carried Katniss around in a victory lap, as there was no way she was running and jumping with her stomach, but Peeta was more than happy to do it for her. Afterwards they sat, admiring the beautiful crib they finally managed to put together.

"You know, this crib looks really depressing as the only thing in the room, especially since the walls are so bare." Katniss said. Peeta looked over at her and grinned mischievously.

"Guess we'll just have to decorate."

So, by the end of the week, the walls were a pale yellow that matched the blankets in the crib, the far wall reserved entirely for pictures. There was a white dresser with a mirror on the right wall, and white shelving next to the crib on the left wall. The dresser was filled with baby clothes and diapers, the shelves with baby books and toys. There was a rocking chair in one corner, and Katniss couldn't've been happier. The room felt so warm and inviting, and sometimes she would just sit in the rocking chair talking to their little Junior. And sometimes Peeta would join them, either with Katniss sitting on him or squeezed next to him in the chair. Those were her favorite moments, were Katniss felt completely at peace.

One day, Peeta was rocking with them, telling Junior a story. Junior wiggled and kicked happily in response to Peeta's' voice. Katniss smiled.

"I love my little family." She said, and then drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **Wow. So thank you all so much for the review and follows and favorites! I'm so grateful! You guys really make my day when I see a review or anything. There was some great ideas and lovely support, so thank you very much.**

 **Just two quick questions I want to ask you all. One, do you see a picture with my story? I uploaded one, but I don't know if it worked, so let me know if you can see one.**

 **Also, I want my updates to become regular, so which day of the week would you guys want me to update? Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All rights go to Suzanne Collins**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 6**

 _One month._ Katniss thought. They had gone to the doctor earlier that day, and had been informed that their due date was about a month away, on the twenty-sixth of May. They still hadn't given in to their curiosity about the gender of the baby, though Rachel had said Katniss was carrying low, which pointed to a boy. She had also talked about how they would know Katniss was in labor.

"You're 35 weeks pregnant. Even though your due date isn't for another month, you can go into labor anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks." She had said. "You'll probably start feeling cramps soon, but don't overreact, they aren't real contractions yet. You can tell they are labor contractions when they come more frequently and don't go away. You may also have intense back pain, more than the discomfort you have now." Katniss sighed. Her back was already pretty sore, she couldn't imagine it getting worse. "Many women wait for their water to break before coming into the hospital, but it doesn't have to break for you to be in labor. And even if it does, you may not even notice, since it doesn't come out in a big gush." Rachel had then talked to them about the actual process of labor.

"There are 3 stages of labor, and then the pushing starts. The early labor phase, which last from 8-12 hours for first time mothers, is the easiest. There will be contractions every 20 minutes or so, lasting for about a minute. During this time you should try to rest, as you're going to need a lot of energy." Rachel laughed at Katniss's and Peeta's worried expressions, and continued. "Next is the active labor phase. Your contractions will become more frequent and stronger than before. It will probably last 3-5 hours. During this phase you want to breathe and maybe move around. Then the last phase, the transition phase, is where Peeta comes in. The contractions will mostly likely last for more than a minute, with very short breaks in between. This is the hardest, but the shortest, phase, lasting for 3 hours at most. Peeta will be important to help you breathe, and to support you. So try not to yell at him too much." They laughed. Katniss knew mothers in labor were known to scream at their husbands.

"Oh I'm sure she will," said Peeta, smiling. Katniss smirked, as she would most certainly not be trying to control her screaming.

Rachel chuckled. "We'll have to wait until you're 10 centimeters dilated for you to give birth. The actual pushing of the baby will probably only take an hour, which will seem very short compared to your labor."

"Yeah, I bet," Katniss said. "At least 20 hours of pain to have that thing out in an hour?" She laughed, which was her alternative to be scared out of her mind. Rachel smiled.

"You'll be fine, I promise." She had said. Katniss hoped it was true.

"Katniss?" Peeta called from the kitchen, bringing her back to the present.

"Yeah?"

"What do you want for lunch?"

"Can I have some pickles?"

"Just pickles?"

"And peanut butter." At that point, Peeta walked into the room.

"You want pickles and peanut butter? You know what, don't answer. I should learn not to question it by now." He said, giggling. It was true. During her pregnancy Katniss had craved everything from celery and honey to quesadillas and ketchup.

"Haha." Katniss said, unamused. "Just go get my food."

"Right away, miss." He said, throwing in a mock salute. When he came back she gobbled the pickles and peanut butter. The empty pickle jar filled with juice sat on the table. Katniss eyed it warily.

"You want the pickle juice, don't you?" Peeta asked. He knew her too well.

"Maybe." She said sheepishly. Peeta handed it to her. She downed it with a satisfied "ahh."

"You're disgusting." Peeta said, laughing at her.

"Hey, it's not my fault!" She replied, pointing at her now huge stomach. "Blame Junior!" They laughed, and then sat in silence for a few minutes. Katniss shifted uncomfortably.

"You okay?" Peeta asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Just having one of those cramps the doctor warned me about." Peeta's eyes widened.

"Peeta." Katniss said with a groan. "I am _not_ in labor. It doesn't even hurt that much."

"Are you sure?" He asked worriedly.

"Yes. And remember what Rachel said? _Don't overreact."_

"Sorry." he said.

"It's okay, Peeta. You can worry and care for me all you want when I'm yelling in pain and screaming at you for being a horrible person."

Peeta laughed. "I can't wait," he said, leaning down to give her a light kiss on the cheek.

* * *

3 weeks had passed, and both Katniss and Peeta were living in great anticipation. She was 38 weeks pregnant, which meant the baby could come at anytime, plus the due date was only a week away. They had everything prepared, the food, the room, the toys. The only thing missing was the kid.

Late that night they were snuggled in bed, when Katniss was woken by a sharp pain in her back. She shifted, trying to get into a position where the pain wasn't as intense, but it hurt so bad she could barely roll over. In her feeble attempts at getting comfortable she accidently woke Peeta up.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Yeah, just back pain. Worse than usual, so I'm just trying to get comfortable."

"Worse than usual?" Peeta asked, his eyes suddenly wide.

"Yeah…" She said. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Just then, a pain tore across her abdomen, and she gasped, realizing what Peeta was implying.

"Do you think…" Her question trailed off.

"I don't know," he said softly. "But the hospital isn't far. I'd rather go and be wrong than have you sitting here in labor."

"Okay." Katniss agreed. She wasn't positive she was in labor, but the back and stomach pain were much more intense than normal, and the abdomen pains seemed to be coming at regular intervals. Peeta helped her out of bed and down the stairs. He grabbed their hospital bag, filled with extra clothes, blankets, and food. They had to walk along the road to the doctor, as cars had not yet made their way to District 12. It was a long walk for Katniss, even with almost all of her weight on Peeta. They had to stop once or twice as Katniss waited for a contraction to pass. She was sure they were contractions now, and she was terrified for the many exhausting hours soon to come.

Eventually they made it to the hospital, where they checked in and were led to a small room with a hospital bed and a couple chairs. Katniss laid on the bed while Peeta sat beside her. A couple minutes later, Rachel entered the room.

"Hi guys," She said warmly. "So is this the night?"

"Maybe," Katniss said shakily. "My back hurts and I think I'm having contractions."

"Alright," Rachel said, setting machines up and gathering supplies. "How far apart are they?"

"Probably around 15 minutes or so."

"Okay. So if you are indeed in labor, which I'm assuming you are, you're probably almost into the second stage. Let me see how far dilated you are." Katniss nodded her agreement, squeezing Peeta's hand. She felt sick.

"Yep, you're almost 4 centimeters dilated, and you're definitely in labor. You're already in the second stage. You have a lot of time until the really intense pain starts."

 _It's already pretty bad._ Katniss thought nervously.

"I recommend you try to rest, I'll check in on you every now and then."

"Okay." Katniss said. She slept for quite a while, but then was woken up by a particularly painful contraction. Peeta was still sitting in the chair, asleep, loosely holding Katniss's hand. She tried to go back to sleep, but another contraction came just a few minutes later.

"Peeta?" Katniss whispered. "Peeta?" His eyes slowly opened.

"Yeah?"

"Can you get the doctor? The contractions are coming closer together." His eyes widened.

"Yeah." He said. He quickly returned, following Rachel into the room. Rachel smiled, trying to keep Katniss's spirits up. She was definitely struggling.

"So the contractions are more frequent?" Rachel asked. Katniss nodded.

"Are they lasting longer?"

"Yeah I guess. Probably for about a minute."

"Really? Alright, well let me measure you." Once she was done, she raised her eyebrows.

"You're already seven centimeters dilated. I'm surprised you were asleep for that long. You must've slept through a lot of painful contractions." She said, smiling.

"That's my girl," Peeta said, chuckling. Even Katniss smiled. She was known to sleep like a bear.

"That means that you're almost in the transition period, with 3 more centimeters to go. Many mothers start taking a painkiller at this point, as the contractions will be pretty intense from here on out."

"Umm." Katniss said, thinking. Then another contraction shot through her body. She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched Peeta's hand.

"Yeah," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll take a painkiller."

"Right away." Rachel said, giving Katniss's other hand a reassuring squeeze.

The painkillers definitely helped, and between them and Peeta keeping her distracted, she was doing pretty well.

But then they wore off, and the real fun started. Through each contraction she squeezed Peeta's hand, hard, and gritted her teeth, trying not to groan or cry out. Soon Rachel came in to measure her again.

"You're nearly there," she said. "Maybe just another half a centimeter. You're progressing quite fast for a first time mother!" Katniss and Peeta glanced at each other.

"Don't worry, it's not a bad thing," Rachel said, reading their expressions. "It's good, actually. You'll be ready to start pushing soon." Katniss closed her eyes.

"I don't think I can do this." She moaned. Rachel gave her a sympathetic smile.

"You'll be okay, I promise. Just remember to breathe." Katniss nodded, still worried. Rachel started setting things up, while Katniss took deep breaths, trying not to panic.

"It's okay," Peeta said. "Just breathe."

"I can't 'just breathe' Peeta!" Katniss snapped. Peeta took it in stride. He had been waiting for it, of course.

"I know Katniss. You can do it."

Katniss held her breath as she felt another contraction.

"Alright Katniss. It's time." Rachel said. Katniss's eyes widened, a deer in the headlights. She wasn't ready. Peeta squeezed her hand.

"You can do it. I'm here for you." He said. Katniss nodded stiffly, letting Rachel guide her into a good position to give birth.

"When you feel the next contraction I want you to push as hard as you can, okay?" Rachel asked, like a school teacher talking to a student. Katniss nodded again, her eyes closed. And when she felt it, she pushed, squeezing Peeta's hand and finally letting a groan escape.

"Good job," Rachel said. "Keep going." So she did. She pushed and she breathed and she yelled and she focused on Peeta's words. She wasn't aware of time. It had been maybe half an hour, but she was already exhausted.

"I can see the head!" Rachel said. "A couple more pushes and it'll be out!"

"You hear that?" Peeta said softly in her ear. "The head's almost out! Keep it up Katniss. I'm so proud of you." So she pushed. She pushed for Peeta, and she pushed for Junior, and she pushed for herself.

"The head's out! You're almost there! We're at the easy part now!"

"Breathe, Katniss!"

"Keep pushing, Katniss!" It was all too much, too overwhelming. She blocked everything out, waited for the next contraction, and with all her strength, she pushed.

She sat, breathing heavily, squeezing Peeta's hand like a lifeline as their child's cries filled the air.

* * *

 **Thank you all so much for the feedback and everything else! They are all very sweet and very appreciated, so I will try to update soon! Thanks again!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All rights to Suzanne Collins**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 7**

"She's beautiful," Katniss said in a hushed voice. Peeta just nodded, unable to speak. Rachel had whisked their child off as soon as she was out to run some tests. After declaring her healthy, she had placed the baby in Katniss's arms, and left the new parents to swoon over their child.

Now they all sat in Katniss's hospital bed together, the child clutched close to Katniss's chest.

"What should we name her?" Peeta asked, finally slowing his happy tears.

"I don't know. Should we name her after anyone?"

Peeta hesitated. "No. I want her to have her own name. Maybe she can have a middle name after someone, though." Katniss nodded, thinking.

"How about Rue? As a middle name, I mean." Peeta smiled in agreement.

"Okay. What about her the first name?"

"Hmmm."

"Kate?" Peeta shook his head.

"How about Elizabeth?"

"Emily?"

"Maggie?"

"Lily?"

"Laila?" Their child's eyes snapped open. They were a deep brown, like Katniss's, twinkling with a beautiful curiosity.

"I think she likes that one," Katniss said, grinning.

"Laila Rue. It's perfect." Peeta said, new tears threatening to spill over.

"Just like her." Katniss said, kissing Peeta, and then Laila, trying not to cry herself.

Peeta carried Laila home, with Katniss guiding him, as he never took his eyes off of her. He ran his hand through her thin layer of dirty blonde hair, whispering to her as her eyes darted around, trying to take everything in. Before they could enter their house, they heard Haymitch's voice call out.

"So, you finally had that little bugger, huh?" He asked, thankfully sober.

"Yeah," Katniss said, walking over to him with Peeta in tow. Haymitch smiled at Laila, and she peered up at him curiously.

"You gotta thinker right there," Haymitch said. "I can see it in those eyes." Katniss grinned.

"Hope you got some sleep," Haymitch continued. "You won't be getting a lot anymore." He chuckled. "Good luck." He said, and waltzed back into his house.

"Isn't he supportive," she said, rolling her eyes. Peeta laughed, then made his way to their own house.

"Come on," he said giddily, "I want to give Laila a tour." Katniss smirked.

"Really, Peeta?"

"What?" Peeta said as they walked in. "She lives here now."

"I know," Katniss said, "but she just fell asleep. Let's let her rest."

"Fine," Peeta huffed. We can give her a tour later, I guess." Peeta said disappointedly. Katniss took Laila from him, holding her tight as she walked up the stairs to the nursery. She softly laid her down in the crib and tucked her in. Katniss and Peeta both stood over the crib, staring in disbelief and awe at their beautiful sleeping daughter.

"Now what?" Katniss asked in whisper. Peeta shrugged.

"Now we raise her."

* * *

" _WHAAAA!"_

 _"WHAAAAA!"_

Katniss bolted up from her sleep.

" _WHAAAAAAAAA!"_

She practically ran across the hall to the nursery, Peeta not far behind her. And there was Laila, in her crib, screaming her head off.

"Is she okay?" Peeta asked worriedly. Katniss had already picked her up, cradling her.

"Yeah, she's fine. Just hungry I think. Will you grab the formula?"

"Yeah." He handed it to Katniss, and she put it in Laila's mouth. Laila sucked on it hungrily, quickly stopping her wailing. Peeta grinned.

"And you said you wouldn't be a good mother." Katniss flashed him a smile, as she was a bit proud of how quickly she had gotten Laila to calm down. Katniss rocked her back in forth in her arms until she fell asleep, then carefully laid her back down.

"Job well done." Peeta said, snuggling close as they got back in bed.

Their victory was short-lived, though, as they were woken a few hours later by another round of screaming from Laila.

"What now?" Peeta said, sighing as he lifted her into his arms.

"Check her diaper," Katniss suggested. Peeta laid her down on the makeshift changing table they had made.

"Blech." Peeta said, making a face. He quickly changed the diaper, quelling Laila's screeching. Katniss took her and laid her back in the crib once again.

"Now _stay_ asleep will you?" She said, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.

They slept through the rest of the night without incident, but both Peeta and Katniss were exhausted in the morning.

"I hope she doesn't do that too often," Katniss said to Peeta, yawning, as she fed Laila. Peeta nodded in agreement.

"First day with her in the house and I'm half asleep," Katniss continued, though she knew Peeta was the complete opposite. It didn't matter how much sleep he had gotten, he was beyond excited for Laila's first day at home with them.

"So what should we do today?" Peeta asked, proving her point.

"I don't know, Peeta." She said, laughing. "She can't really do much."

"We could take her into town!" Katniss sighed.

"Peeta, she's barely 2 days old!"

"We'll be careful I promise! Please? Look, she wants to go!" Katniss looked down at her, and she gave a happy cooing sound.

"Fine. But nobody holds her, nobody touches her. Got it?"

"Definitely." Peeta said, nodding enthusiastically. Katniss proceeded to wrap Laila in a bundle of blankets while Peeta packed a bag full of diapers, formula, and extra clothes for going into town.

"Do you really think we'll need all of that?" Katniss asked. Peeta shrugged.

"Just want to make sure we don't run out of supplies."

"I think that's a great idea, but I don't think we need 20 diapers for a _short_ trip into town." Katniss said, giggling. Peeta pulled the bag onto his shoulder, unashamed.

"You never know." Katniss laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Alright then." She said with a sigh. "Let's go."

As they walked through town, many people came over to congratulate them. They commented on how adorable she was, how she looked just like Peeta, how she had eyes just like Katniss. Katniss wasn't completely comfortable with all the attention, but Laila loved it. She cooed up at each person, her twinkling eyes studying every face, flailing her arms happily. Once, Katniss spotted Gale across the street, but made no move toward him. She wasn't going to ruin an amazing day by talking to him.

Eventually Peeta and Katniss made their way away from the adoring people in town. They headed home, picking up some more baby supplies along the way.

"Everyone loved her," Peeta said, chuckling.

"Yes, she was very social, wasn't she?"

"Just like her mother," Peeta said sarcastically. Katniss shot him a look.

"Whatever. I just hope that all that attention wore her out. Maybe she'll sleep through the night."

"Maybe," Peeta agreed hopefully.

Alas, she did not. Not that night, or the next night, or the next. Weeks passed, Laila grew, and the new parents got more and more exhausted.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take." Katniss said as Laila's now familiar wails filled the night air.

"I'll get her," Peeta said, "you sleep." She gladly accepted the offer, but even after 10 minutes or so, Laila hadn't stopped screaming. Soon Peeta came back into the room, carrying her in his arms.

"She won't calm down! I changed her diaper, fed her, burped her. I think she just wants her Momma." Peeta said. Katniss took her from him and held her close. Sure enough, Laila quieted down. Katniss was surprised to find tears in her eyes.

"She knows me. She _wanted_ me." Katniss said shakily.

"Not just that," Peeta said, leaning down to kiss both of his girls. "She loves you."

A couple mornings later Katniss woke up facing Peeta, who was already staring at her with a smile.

"She slept through the night!" He said. Katniss beamed, realizing why she felt so energized.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, sharing an enthusiastic high-five with Peeta. "We are _awesome_ parents!"

"Yeah we are!" Peeta said. He leaned over to kiss her.

"I love you." He said, laughing.

"I love you, too."

* * *

 **Yay, baby's here! Thank you guys for the continuous support! The reviews are so nice, and they make me feel so good, so thank you. And yes, I have decided I'm going to update on Mondays.**

 **Also, in case there was any confusion, her name is pronounced Lie-la. And I know you might be thinking "Why did she get named after Rue and not Prim?" but I just felt like it sounded better and made more sense. Please continue to leave reviews and follow/favorite! Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All rights to Suzanne Collins**

* * *

 **Child Of Fire**

 **Chapter 8**

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom, it's Katniss."

"Hi, sweetie. How are you? How's the baby? You haven't called me!"

"Yeah, sorry. I was just, uh, busy," Katniss lied. In reality, she just hadn't wanted to. "But, as for the baby, it's a girl. We named her Laila."

"Oh! That's wonderful! When did you have her?"

"A couple weeks ago. May 12th."

"Well, congratulations! Maybe you guys could come visit?" Katniss knew her mom would ask them to visit, and she already had her answer prepared.

"I don't know mom, I mean, it'd be really hard to take Laila and all of the stuff she needs to District 4. Plus, Peeta and I are really exhausted. I don't know if we're up for a trip."

"Oh. I see." Katniss sighed. She sounded so disappointed. Even though she and her mother had had some rough times, Katniss still loved her.

"Maybe you could come here?" Katniss said. She didn't really want guests in her home, but it was her mother, and she knew how badly she wanted to see her grandchild.

"I could probably do that," her mother said. "I could bring Annie and her son! We could even throw you a belated baby shower! I'll ask her and get back to you. Bye, honey! Love you!"

"Wait, mom I-"

But she had already hung up. Katniss groaned and flopped onto the couch.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asked.

"My mother is coming to visit and she said she's bringing Annie and her son and having a baby shower and she's just so perky and I can't deal with it," Katniss said in a rush.

"Your mother was _perky?_ " Peeta said in disbelief.

"Yeah. I guess she's still trying to make up for blanking out on us when we were kids, and then leaving me here while she went to District 4." Katniss said. Even after all this time, couldn't bring herself to say Prim's name. As for her mother going to District 4, she didn't mind all that much, since she was with Peeta, but she would've liked to have her mother around to help with her pregnancy, or just to be a real mother for once.

"Oh. Well I guess that's good."

"It is good. I want her to be happy. its just she tries too hard sometimes. And I really don't want a party right now."

"A party could be fun! It'll only be us, your mom, and Annie and her son. Laila will have someone to play with! Try looking at it positively."

"I'm not very good at that," Katniss mumbled. Peeta chuckled.

"Well, try, okay? For me?"

"Fine," Katniss huffed. "But only because someone else can finally entertain Laila."

Right on cue, Laila, who was on the floor at their feet playing with her toys, started crying.

"Oh, come here you," Katniss said, lifting her up. She dropped her stuffed elephant, and started wailing louder. Katniss picked it up and handed it to her, calming her down.

"She will not let go of that thing," Katniss said. "She throws a fit every time she drops it or I try to take it from her!" Peeta laughed.

"Why do you take it from her, then?"

"She has it in her mouth half the time. That can't be safe," Katniss answered, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sure it's fine," Peeta said, hating to displease his daughter in any way. "Let's put her in her crib, she hasn't had a nap today."

"Okay," Katniss agreed, handing her off to Peeta. She sighed and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. Having a kid was exhausting.

* * *

A few days later Katniss's mother arrived, along with Annie and her son, Isaac, who was almost four. After hugs and greetings they went to the living room, where Isaac took an immediate liking to Laila. He crawled his way over to her and they started playing together. Katniss's mother smiled.

"They're so adorable together," she said. "I'm so proud of you Katniss. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help out."

"That's okay," Katniss said. And it was. Katniss had decided to let her mother back into her life while she still had the chance. "I'm just glad you're here now," she said truthfully.

"She is very cute," Annie said.

"So is Isaac," Peeta responded. "Is he talking yet?"

"Yes. Short sentences, and he can't pronounce some sounds, but he's doing very well."

"Mama!" Isaac said, bringing Laila's stuffed elephant to his mother to show off, while Laila wailed behind him.

"Isaac, honey, you can't take her toys," Annie said softly, handing the elephant back to Laila. "Sorry," she continued, turning back to Katniss and Peeta. "He loves stuffed animals."

Katniss grinned. Isaac walked over to them again.

"Mama who this?" He asked, eyeing Peeta and Katniss. He must already know Katniss's mother, as they both lived in District 4.

"These are my friends."

"Hunger friends?"

Katniss froze. Was he referring to the Hunger Games?

"Um, yes," Annie said. "Go play with Laila now," she continued, pointing to her.

"Lala!" He said, waddling back over to her.

"Hunger friends?" Katniss whispered. Annie sighed.

"He asked me why he didn't have a dad, like all his other friends," Annie explained. "I told him that there were these things called the Hunger Games, and that that made him get hurt, and he was gone now." Her voice broke. "I didn't know what to say. He's only 4, but I wanted to tell him some part of the truth." There were tears in her eyes now, and Katniss's mother grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "I told him other people got hurt too, and it was a bad thing. I told him his father was good and that there were other good people who got hurt too, but they were still here, and they were my friends. That's why he asked if you were 'hunger friends.'" Annie put her head between her knees, and her hands over her ears. Her mental health seemed a lot better, but Finnick and the Hunger Games were sure to bring back terrible memories. Isaac, seeing his mother in distress, walked back over and wrapped himself around her leg. Annie lifted her head and brought him up into her arms.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It still hurts."

"I understand," Katniss murmured, lost in her own pain. The conversation had taken a quick turn from their happy chatter.

"I'll get some snacks," Mrs. Everdeen said awkwardly, breaking the silent.

"I'll help," Annie said, wiping her tears and setting Isaac back down next to Laila. Once they were alone, Katniss turned to Peeta.

"How are we going to tell her? About everything?"

"In a simple way. At least until she's older. We'll make sure she knows it was bad, people died, but she doesn't need to details when she's a toddler. We'll wait until she asks, until she _wants_ to know the history of her parents and her country," Peeta said evenly, trying to reassure Katniss. She nodded.

"Okay." This was one of the reasons she loves Peeta. He always had a plan, and if he didn't, he made one up to make Katniss feel better. She kissed him as her mother and Annie returned with the snacks, and they talked and ate until it was night.

* * *

 **So this chapter wasn't very meaty, sorry. Another thanks for all the support! Leave a review and tell me what you think! Thanks!**


	9. AN

**A/N**

 **Hey guys so I think the next chapter will be the last one, and then I'll might write an epilogue. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint anyone. This was my first fanfic so I hadn't really thought it out, and with school and sports starting I can't really keep up with it. I might write a Selection fic though. Let me know in a review if there's anything you guys want me to write about! I'll get the last chapter up sometime this week, and a possible epilogue the next week. Thanks for being so supportive, and I'm sorry I'm not continuing. Thanks again!**


	10. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

 **18 years later…**

* * *

Katniss woke up with a feeling of dread. She turned and looked at Peeta, tears already forming in her eyes. He hugged her, holding back tears of his own.

"Why so soon?" She whispered. Peeta just shook his head. They walked downstairs together and entered the kitchen, unnoticed by Laila, who was making breakfast for the last time. Katniss looked at her daughter, already 18. Her blonde waves were pulled into a braid, her tall frame bending to pick up a bowl she'd dropped, as she'd not gotten her swiftness from Katniss. Katniss smiled to herself, cherishing all the memories of Laila. Her birth, her first steps, her first words, and the memorable baby shower, where everything had started falling into place. Katniss sniffed, unable to control herself, and Laila turned and smiled.

"Good morning!" She said brightly. Seeing the look on her parent's faces, her smile faded. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetie," Katniss said softly. "We just don't want you to go." Laila crossed the room and gave them a hug.

"I'm going to visit," she promised. "A lot. And you know I said I'd call every day!"

"We know," Peeta said. "But we worry."

"I'll be fine. And I'll be helping people," Laila said reassuring them for what felt like the hundredth time. She had taken a job helping long term victims from the war, physical and mental. She had always reached out a helping hand, and this was perfect for her. But not for Katniss and Peeta. The hospital was in District 3, and the mental patients sometimes acted out against the helpers and nurses, so of course they were worried. But so proud. Only the best were chosen to work there.

They ate a quick breakfast and rushed out the door, already running late. The hurried to the train station and said their goodbyes. They squeezed each other, that family of three, happy and content to stand there with each other forever. But Laila broke away, eager for the next phase of her life, grabbing her suitcase and bag, heading toward the train.

"I love you," she called out as she boarded.

"I love you too," Katniss and Peeta said together. They waved as the doors closed behind their only daughter, and tears flowed freely as it disappeared into the distance.

Katniss turned to Peeta, smiling through her tears. He smiled back, and they kissed as only true lovers could.

* * *

 **Hi guys! Wow I finally updated! So umm sorry sorry sorry! I've been so busy! And I know I said I'd do another chapter and then an epilogue but I just couldn't so I'm really sorry. Hopefully this epilogue didn't seem too rushed or thrown together, even though it kind of was. Thank you all for the support, and I apologize again. It was fun to write this and hear all of your feedback. Until next time my friends.**

 **-em**


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